The BNSF EMD GP60M and GP60B are coming to Train Sim World 6 on June 25th, bringing new scenarios to Cajon Pass and the San Bernardino Line, along with overhauled and improved timetables for the former.

You can find the full details in our previous article here.

American Railfan, photographer and author Gary Dolzall gives us a brief history of the west coast workhorses and their importance in American rail.

In an era when North American freight-service diesel locomotives have become largely standardized around a few types, the distinctive, stylish and now long-lived Electro-Motive GP60M (and cabless sister, the GP60B) has been a welcome tonic.

It was thanks to the Santa Fe Railway that the GP60M exists. At the start of the 1990s, the Santa Fe, then led by its innovative president Mike Haverty, branded its high-priority intermodal services as the “Super Fleet” and reintroduced the railroad’s legendary red- and-silver “warbonnet” livery. AT&SF was already operating standard EMD GP60s, and for use on the Super Fleet in 1990-1991 the railroad acquired 63 custom-design 3,800-horsepower GP60M cab units equipped with North American cabs, along with 23 cabless GP60B booster units. The GP60M and GP60B diesels were constructed at General Motors Diesel facilities in London, Ontario, Canada and rolled out of the plant wearing a stunning modern rendition of the classic warbonnet livery.

Beginning with a first run on May 20, 1990, the flashy diesels immediately became the workhorses of the railroad’s hottest intermodals and remained so through the 1995-96 creation of BNSF Railway via the merger of AT&SF and Burlington Northern.

As part of the BNSF roster, the GP60M units were destined to wear multiple liveries, beginning with BNSF variations of the warbonnet dress and then progressing through four versions of BNSF’s dark green/black and orange colors. With the coming of the 21st century, the GP60M diesels could still be frequently found in hotshot intermodal service but also were increasingly used on manifest freights and even handled local duties. Beginning around 2010, the stylish diesels were most often (but not universally) found in several locations, most notably Southern California, including the Los Angeles area and San Diego. Kaiser Yard, located on the ex-AT&SF Pasadena Subdivision west of San Bernardino (and included on the TSW San Bernardino route), became a key bastion of GP60M assignments. Indeed, for a time it was common for a half-dozen or more GP60Ms wearing various liveries to be found at Kaiser Yard awaiting their next assignments.

In 2015, an expected and welcomed twist to the GP60M story began with BNSF’s decision to have the veteran, quarter-century-old GP60Ms rebuilt (by locomotive builder Wabtech) to “-3” standards. Of special note, the rebuilding process included replacing the units’ original console-style cab controls with an AAR-type control stand in order to better suit the units’ local and switching assignments. Unlike the GP60Ms, the cabless GP60B units have faced gradual retirement in recent years. The last gallant stand of the cabless boosters occurred in Washington State, where pure GP60M/GP60B lash-ups regularly powered BNSF’s Chewelah Turn. One GP60B was rebuilt with a standard EMD Spartan-style cab from a wrecked SD40-2. Although BNSF is retiring many of its older four-axle diesels, the rebuilt GP60Ms will likely carry on to achieve more than three decades of remarkable service.

The stylish EMD GP60M and GP60B, as developed by High Iron Simulations, are coming soon to TSW6. The GP60M will be provided in BNSF H2 and H4 liveries, and versions of the locomotive equipped with original console and rebuilt AAR-style control stands will be included. The GP60B will wear BNSF H1 livery.

Joining the distinctive locomotives in the pack will be a new three-unit articulated “spine” intermodal car with multiple trailer and container loads, an ex-AT&SF GA-series cement hopper in three BNSF liveries, a 3-bay ribbed-side BNSF covered hopper, and an 89-foot auto rack in BNSF livery. A robust services timetable will put the GP60M and GP60B to work in a variety of duties across the Cajon Pass route, and the pack will also feature four scenarios on the Cajon Pass route and four bonus scenarios on the San Bernardino route.

The BNSF GP60M and GP60B add-on pack is in development by High Iron Simulations scheduled for release on 4th June 2026 for £12.99 / €15.99 / $16.99.

The BNSF GP60M & GP60B Loco Add-On arrives June 25. Visit the Steam page to learn more and add it to your wishlist for release notifications!

Join Executive Producer Matt and Community Manager Jan for a showcase of the GP60M/B Pack ahead of its release, live on both YouTube and Twitch at 18:00 UTC on June 23rd.

Be sure to join our Dovetail Games Official Discord channel to hear more from our teams and catch exclusive events and join our new community!
 

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